Spring air-gun.



No. 696,46l. Patented Mr. I, I902.

w. F. MARKHAM.

SPRING AIR aun.

(Application filed July 9, 1900.) (No Model.)

IINITIED States PATENT @rrtcn.

\VILLIAM F. MARKIIAM, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN.

SPRING Alid -GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,461, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed July 9,1900. Serial Nox 22,935. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM RMARKHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plymouth, in the county of \Vayne, in the State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring Air- Guns, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invent-ion relates to certain improvements upon spring air-guns of the general character of those heretofore patented to me by Letters Patent of the United States Nos. 483,159, 553,716, and ($51,634, but is not restricted to the particular construction of any of such guns, as will be apparent from the explanation hereinafter given.

In the accon'ipanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved gun with the forward half or portion of the barrel in section; Fig. 2, an enlarged detailed sectional view of that part of the gun shown in section in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detailed side elevation, looking at the farther side of the gun in Figs. 1 and 2, of the sleeve or bushing,which is secured in the end of the false barrel and the 1n uzzle-cap and true barrel looked thereto;

Fig. l, a view corresponding to Fig. 3 with the muzzle-cap and true barrel unlocked from said sleeve or bushing, and Fig. 5 a detailed top plan view of the front end of the barrel and sleeve with the latter partially inserted in the barrel.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the views.

Preparatory to a more specific description of my present improvements it will suffice to say that A is the stock of the gun; B, the barrel; (l, the fore-arm, rigidly secured to the under side of the rear end of the barrel and having a rearward extension D, pivoted at Ct between the metal side plates E, secured to the forward end of the stocleA and constituting a forward and upward extension thereof, as usual.

The interior of the rear portion of the barrel B constitutes the compressionchamber, in which fits the piston F, pressed forward by a coiled spring G and having a rearWardly-extending rod H,Which is connected at its rear end by a suitable link or connecting device (not shown) with a pin 1), passed through the plates E, so that when the gun is broken down upon the pivotal connection a of the stock and barrel the rod H and piston F will be drawn rearward and the spring G be compressed. A suitable hook or projection upon the rear end of the rod II at such times engages the trigger of the gun, and the latter holds the parts in set position until released by pulling upon the trigger, whereupon the spring G expands and forces the piston F forward to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, compressing the air in the front end of the com prcssion-chamberand causing it to be violently expelled through the minute central aperture at the front end thereof, all as usual in air-guns of this character.

At the end of its forward stroke under the action of the spring G the piston F is arrested by an abutment composed of leather Washers secured to the rear end of a tubular wooden plug I, inserted into the barrel I3 from its front end and permanently held in place therein by a metal'sleeve or bushing J, also inserted into the front end of the barrelB and soldered or brazed to the latter, so as to be permanently held in place. This sleeve J, permanently secured to the barrel B, receives the blow of the piston F at the end of the forward stroke of the latter, said blow being transmitted through the plug I and the wash ers secured to its rear end and securely and permanently holds said parts in position.

A metal ring or washer K is interposed between the front end of the plug I and rear end of the sleeve J to prevent the plug I being driven into the sleeve J. The front end of the plug I is slightly concaved and the washer K of corresponding form to fit it to facilitate the insertion of the true barrel L of the gun, as hereinafter described. This true barrel L is removable and has permanently secured to its outer end the muzzlecap M, adapted to fit over the extremity of the sleeve J which projects a slight distance beyond the end of the barrel B for that purpose. The sleeve J is provided with a slot N, adapted to receive a lug 0, Figs. 3 and 4, secured to and projecting from the true barrel L, and to cooperate therewith to constitute a sort of bayonet-lock for the purpose of locking the muzzle-cap M and true barrel L in position in the gun. The front end of the slot Nis in line with the barrel and its opposite end transverse thereto, and these two portions of the slot are connected by a diagonal or cam portion, Figs. 3 and 4, the engagement of the outer or forward edge of which portion of the slot with the lug O operates to force the barrel L inward and draw the muzzle-cap M into place upon the end of the barrel B when said cap and the barrel L are turned in one direction, and the 'rear edge of which cooperates with the lug O to force the barrel L and cap M outward when they are turned in the opposite direction.

In assembling the parts after the wooden plug'I has been inserted and the sleeve J permanently secured in position the true barrel L is inserted and its rear end passed through the central hole in the wooden plug I until it comes to rest in the leather washers at the rear end thereof. This brings the lug 0 upon the outer end of the true barrel Linto register with the outer end of the diagonal slot N in the sleeve J, and upon then turning the cap M until the lug O is carried through the diagonal portion of said slot the barrel L will be forced home and its rear end firmly seated in the leather washers, the cap M drawn into place over the extremity of the sleeve J, and the parts securely locked in position ready for the gun to be used.

When it is desired to remove the barrel L, it is simply necessary to turn the cap M in the opposite direction until the lug 0 upon the barrel L is carried through the diagonal or cam portion of the slot N, which will have the effect of starting the barrel outward and withdrawing its rear end from its seat in the leather washers byatwisting movement, after which the barrel may be readily withdrawn by a straight outward pull upon the cap M.

It is desirable that there should be as nearly as possible an air-tight connection between the rear end of the true barrelL and the front end of the compression-chamber, so as to prevent the escape of air from said chamber at the forward stroke of the piston except through the true barrel L, to the end that the projectile in the latter may be expelled with the greatest possible force. I have provided such an air-tight connection, as hereinafter described, and its efficiency as well as its preservation are much enhanced by the insertion of the rear end of the true barrel L into and its withdrawal from the seat in the leather washers by the twisting movement due to the locking arrangement above described as distinguished from a direct insertion of the barrel into and withdrawal from its seat by a movement wholly in line with the barrel.

Coming now to a more specific description of the washers at the rear end of the wooden plug I, which are employed to effect this airtight connection and also to provide a yielding buffer or abutment to receive the blow of the piston F, I employ in the present instance three of said washers c d 6, together with a fourth sheet-metal washer f, interposed between the two rear washers c d. This metal washer f is provided with a central aperture considerably smaller than the bore of the true barrel L for the purpose of preventing any undersized shot passing from the barrel L into the front end of the compression-chamber, as might occasionally occur in the absence of the washer f.

All the washers are secured to the rear end of the wooden plug I by small nails g, driven through the washers and into the plug.

The central apertures of the washers d e are made somewhat smaller than the exterior of the true barrel L, and the rear end of the latter is beveled off to facilitate its entrance into such apertures, so that when inserted and forced rearward by the twisting movement accompanying the locking operation described it will tightly seat itself in said washers and form a substantially air-tight joint between them and itself. The constant hammering of the piston F upon the rear side of the washers in the use of the gun tends to drive them forward against the rear end of the wooden plug I, and thereby expands them and forces their outer edges tightly against the inner surface of the barrel B, thus producing and maintaining an air-tight joint between said Washers and said barrel, with the result that a substantially air-tight joint is produced between the rear end of the true barrel and the front end of the compressionchamber and waste of air prevented and its maximum force utilized in expelling the projectile from the gun.

The employment of the sleeve Jin the for ward end of the barrel l5 and the forming of the locking-slot therein furnish a cheap and convenient means for providing the forward 4 sight P of the gun, which consists simply of an upturned projection of the integral metal of the sleeve J cut from the latter in the forming of the slot N. The sleeve J is preferably formed of a piece of sheet metal bent into tubular form after the slot N has been stamped out of it and the sight P bent outward to position, as indicated in Fig. 5. The barrel B is provided upon its upper side at its forward extremity with a short slit Q to receive the sight P when the sleeve J is inserted into the end of the barrel preparatory to being secured therein, and the sight thus insures the seating of the sleeve J in the barrel B in exactly proper position without the exercise of any care to that end.

I am of course aware that it is not broadly novel to make the true barrel of a spring air- IIO zle-cap screwed upon the latter, and the inner or true barrel was permanently secured in and formed a fixed part of the wooden plug. It is true that the specification of said patent stated that the true barrel might be made detachable from the wooden plug; but in either event there was no convenient means for readily withdrawing either the true barrel alone or the wooden plug and barrel, and it was necessary after unscrewing the muzzle cap either to employ some suitable instrument for withdrawing them. or to drive them partially out of the outer barrel by a blow of the piston.

In my present construction the wooden plug forms a permanent part of the gun, while the true barrel forms a permanent part of or is permanently connected to the muzzlecap, so that the removal of the latter furnishes a ready means for the withdrawal of the true barrel. In addition to this the means I have provided for locking the In uzzle-eap and the true barrel in place is more convenient and cheaper than the provision for screwing the muzzle-cap upon the extremity of the outer barrel. i

Inasmuch as these spring air-guns arc frequently employed for shooting darts instead of buckshot and in such event the dart must be inserted in the true barrel from its rear end or breech, it follows that the barrel must be removed from the gun and replaced preparatory to each shot, and for this purpose the exceedingly convenient and expeditious means which I have provided for removing and replacing the muzzle-cap and true barrel together present a very decided advantage in practical use over the means employed in prior guns, such as that above referred to. I am also aware that it is not broadly new to employ a leather washer at the rear end of the wooden plug to receive the blow of the piston and form a seat for the rear end of the true barrel, this feature being also shown in my prior patent, above referred to; but my present construction and arrangement of the parts at the rear end of the wooden plug for the purpose heretofore described are an improvement upon my prior construction for reasons which will be apparent without detailed explanation.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a sleeve secured in the forward end thereof and provided with a slot, and the true barrel and muzzle-cap secured togetherand provided with a projection cooperating with said slot to lock them in position, substantially as described.

2. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a sleeve secured in the forward end thereof and provided with a cam-slot, and the true barrel and muzzle-cap permanently secured together and provided with a projection cooperating with said camslot to force said barrel and cap inward and outward by turning them in opposite directions, and to lock them in position, substantially-as described.

3. In an air-gun, the combination of a false barrel, a removable true barrel fitting there in, and means carried by the respective barrels adapted to engage and coiiperate to rotate the true barrel as itis inserted or withdrawn, substantially as described.

t. In a spring airgun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a tubular wooden plug inserted therein, a metal sleeve or bushing permanently secured therein between the wooden plug and the muzzle of the gun and operating to hold said wooden plug in position againstthe blows of the piston, the true barrel seated in the central bore of said plug, and the muzzle cap fitting over the forward end of said sleeve and detachably connected thereto, substantially as described.

5. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a tubular wooden plug inserted therein, a metal sleeve or bushing permanently secured therein between the wooden plug and the muzzle of the gun and operating to hold said wooden plug in position against the blows of the piston, the true barrel seated in the central bore of said plug, and the muzzle-cap permanently secured to the outer end of the true barrel and fitting over and detachably connected with the sleeve secured in the outer barrel, substantially as described.

6. In a spring airgun, the combination'of the outer or false barrel, a tubular wooden plug inserted therein, a metal sleeve or bushing permanently secured therein between the wooden plug and the muzzle of the gun and operating to hold said wooden plug in position against the blows of the piston, the true barrel seated in the central bore of said plug, the muzzle-cap-secured to the forward end of said barrel and fitting over the extremity of the sleeve secured in the outer barrel, and a bayonet-lock for detachably connecting the true barrel and muzzle-cap to said sleeve and outer barrel, substantially as described.

7. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the barrel B, the tubular wooden plug I inserted therein, the metal sleeve J permanently secured in the barrel B and provided with the slotN adjacent the muzzle of the gun, the true barrel L seated in the bore of the plug I and provided with the projection O cooperating with the slot N, and the muzzle-cap M secured to the extremity of the barrel L and fitting over the forward end of the sleeve J, substantially as described.

8. In a gun, the combination of an outer or false barrel, a sleeve held therein and projecting outward slightly beyond the end of the same, a true barrel, and a muzzle-cap sup porting the forward end of the true barrel and fitting over the projecting end of the sleeve in the false barrel, substantially as described.

9. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a plurality of leather washers secured therein at the forward end of the com pression-chamber and constituting both an abutment for the piston and a seat for the rear end of the true barrel, the true barrel seated at its rear end in said washers and supported at its forward end in the muzzle-cap, and means for detachably securing said true barrel and muzzle-cap in position and producing a twisting movement of the barrel at the insertion and withdrawal of its rear end from its seat in the leather washers, substantially as described.

10. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, the tubular Wooden plug therein, the plurality of leather washers secured to the rear end of said plug and constituting an abutment for the piston and a seat for the rear end of the true barrel, the true barrel seated at its rear end in said washers and supported at its forward end in the muzzle-cap, and means for detachably securing said true barrel and muzzle-cap in position and producing a twisting movement of the barrel at the insertion and withdrawal of its rear end from its seat in the leather washers, substantially as described.

11. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, the plurality of leather washers secured therein at the forward end of the compression-chamber, the

metal washer interposed between said leather washers and having a central aperture smaller than the bore of the true barrel, the true barrel seated at its rear end in the leather washers and supported at its forward end in the muzzle-cap, and means for detachablysccuring saidtrue barrel and muzzle-cap in position, substantially as described.

12. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, the tubular wooden plug therein, the plurality of leather washers and the interposed metal washer secured to its rear end, said metal washer having a central aperture smaller than the bore of the true barrel, the true barrel supported at its rear end in said wooden plug and seated at its extremity in the leather washers, the muzzlecap secured to the forward end of the true barrel, and means for detachably securing said true barrel and muzzle-cap in position, substantially as described.

13. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the barrel B, the Wooden plug I therein, the leather washers 0 (Z c and interposed metal washer f secured to the rear end of the plug I, the sleeve J permanently secured in the.

front end of the barrel B and serving to hold the plug I in position, the true barrel L passed through the plug I and seated at its rear end in the washers d e, the muzzle-cap M secured to the front end of the barrel L and fitting over the extremity of the sleeve J, and means for detachably connecting the barrel L and the cap M to said sleeve, substantially as described.

14. In a spring air-gun, the combination of an outer or false barrel, a plurality of flexible washers secured therein at the forward end of the compression-chamber, a true barrel seated at its rear end in said washers and supported at its forward end in the muzzlecap, and means for detachably securing the true barrel and muzzlecap in position, substantially as described.

15. In an air-gun, the combination of a false barrel, a removable true barrel fitting therein, and means for causing the true barrel to rotate as it is inserted or withdrawn, substantially as described.

16. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a tubular plug inserted therein, a metal sleeve or bushing held against longitudinal movement therein between the tubular plug and the muzzle of the gun and operating to hold said plug in position against the blows of the piston, a true barrel seated in the central bore of said plug,

and a muzzle-cap at the forward end of said sleeve, substantially as described.

17. In a spring air-gun, the combination of the outer or false barrel, a sleeve held therein and provided with a cam-slot, a true barrel, and means carried by the true barrel cooperating with said cam-slot to force said barrel inward and outward by turning them in opposite directions, substantially as described.

18. In a spring air-gun, the combination of an outer or false barrel, a flexible washer secured therein at the forward end of the compression-chamber, a removable true barrel seated at its rear end in said washer and supported at its forward end in the muzzle-cap, and means for twisting the true muzzle as the same is forced inward and outward, substantially as described.

WILLIAM F. MARKHAM.

\Vitnesses;

CARRIE SHORTMAN, E. P. LOMBARD. 

